Method of and apparatus for preparing and handling molten materials



April 1s, 1933.

' H. El CARTER METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING` ANDHANDLING MOLTEN MATERIALS- rFiled N0v. l2. 1930 y m paratus embodying the'features of the inven- Patented Apr. 18, 1933 i UNITEDSTATES PATENT ori-ICE HERBERT F. CARTER, OF ROSELLE PARK, N EW-JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 WESTERN ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, INCORPORATED, O-F NEW `YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK METHOD 0F AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING AND HANDLING MOLTEN MATERIALS Application led November 12, 1930. Serial No. 495,056.

vprovide an eificient and economical method of and apparatus for preparing and handlingl molten materials. v

One embodiment of thc invention contemplates the provision of a method and apparatus for preparing and handling molten alloys, particularly lead antimony alloys employed in the extrusion of a protective sheathing for certain types of telephone cables,I

wherein the lead pigs are melted in a large tank or kettle, and the antimony,l in cake form, is placed in an open container which is Y lowered into the bottom portion of the'kettlc,

after which the molten lead is pumped from the kettle, and returned thereto through a pipe line which discharges into the bottoni portion of the kettle and against the antimony to thereby dissolve it and thoroughly mix it with the molten lead. The mixed molten alloy is pumped from the kettle through a pipe 'line arranged to supply the alloy to a plurality of cable sheath extruding presses, the pipe line having an inverted U-shaped portion-or by-pass extending upwardly above the highest point in the line to exclude air therefrom and thereby prevent oxidation within, the line.

A more complete understanding of the in-k vention will be had vfrom the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein l Fig. 1 is a `schematic plan view of an aption, and by means of which the improved method may be practiced; Fig. 42 is a schematic -elevational view thereof, partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical l section online 3 3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary hrizpontal section on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now to thedrawing, wliefrein like v reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, it will be observed that a plurality of spaced extruding presses 10, 10 (shown schematically4 in Figs. 1 vand 2) arey arranged in a straight line upon a common foundation or floor 12. Spaced from the right hand end of the line of presses and to the rear thereof is a large tank or kettle 14 which is mounted in a pit 4 15 in the floor and comprises a melting pot 16 provided with a hood 18 and surrounded by a cylindrical wall 1 of a suitable heat insulating material. A plurality of large and small gas burners 20 and '21, respectively, are provided for heating and maintaining the contents of the melting pot 16 at a' predetermined temperature. By employing all of the burners, the contents ofthe melting pot may be quickly heated to the predetermined temperature, after which this temperature may be maintained by employing only the smaller burners.

A sliding door 22 (Fig. 1') is provided over an opening 23 in thetop of the kettle hood, through whichopening a charge of lead, in billetor pig form, is lowered into the melting pot by means of afsuitablegrapple' controlled y :in overhead crane or the like (not shown) A cylindrical receptacle or container 24 (Fig. 3) is mounted for vertical movement in a cylindrical guide 25 depending from the hood 18 into the melting pot 16. y The container` 261 is carried at the lower end of a vertically reciprocable rack bar 27 which is slid'able in a tubular bracket 28 secured to the hood and is operated by a pinion 29 driven by an electric motor 30. Any enlarged head or 'liange 32v vformed at the upper end of the rack 'bar vengages the' top of the bracket 28 -to limit the l downward movement of'the container 24;, the

upward movement thereof being limited by its engagement withv the yunderside of the hood 18. l p

An openingy34 in the upper portion of the cylindrical guide 25 registers withN a side opening 35 (Figxl') kin the kettle hood which Iisnormally closed by a sliding door 37. The

container.24 vis provided with aside opening 39 which registers "with theopenings 34 and35 whenthe: containeris elevated to its loading positioniindicated in dotted outlines in Fig. 3. rlhrough these openings, a charge of antimony 40, in cake form, may be readily and conveniently loaded into the container 24.

Mounted in the lower portion of the melting pot 16 is an impeller type pump 42 (Fig. 2) which is driven through a vertical shaft 43 from an l'electric motor 44 supported upon the kettle hood 18. A vertical pipe 45 con- It will be observed that a side opening 53 1n the upper portion of theantimony container 24 registers with the opening 51 container is in its lowermost position in the melting pot. It will be noted, also, that the lower portion of the antimony container guide 25 is provided with a plurality of spaced perforations 5,5, 55, and a large aperture 56 is provided in the bottom of the antimony container, the purpose of which will become apparent as the detailed description progresses.

Communicating with and dependingfrom the supply line 47 at each of the extruding presses 10 is a pipeline or downspout 58 provided with a valve 60 through which the molten alloy may be supplied to the individ ual presses, as required. A portable trough or chute (not shown) may be provided for guiding the molten alloy from the downspout into the cylinders of the presses.

A by-pass 62 .in the return line 48 near its junction with the vertical return line 50 of the kettle. This by-pass is in the form of an inverted U which extends-upwardly above the highest point in the supply and return lines and is connected at its ends' to the return lline 48. A baffle plate 64`is provided in the return line inter- `mediate its junctions with the ends of the bypass 62, as best shown in Fig. 3. The function of the baie plate is to cause substani tially all of the molten alloy to pass through the by-pass 62 and thereby exclude air from the pipe lines with the exception of the vertically disposed portions 50, thus eliminating oxidation in the lines 45, 47 and 48. It will yso be noted, however, that the baille plate provides va restricted opening 65 through the main return line 48 for drainage purposes.

In the operation of the above described apparatus, a predetermined amount oflead is deposited into the melting pot 16, wherein it is melted by the burners 20 and 21. vA pre- ,due to its lower specific gravity,

when the (Figs. 2 and 3) is provided tainer 24, after which the container is low-v ered into the molten lead in the manner hereinbefore described. By confining the antimony within the container, its buoyant tendency to rise to the surface of the molten lead,

and the antimonyis thus maintained fully submerged in the molten lead in the lower portion of melting pot.

After the pipe lines have been heated by any suitable means (not shown), the molten lead is pumped from the meltingpot through the pipe lines, returning into the melting pot through the return pipe 50 which discharges against the antimony through the opening 51 in the antimony container 24. rllhe antimony is thus dissolved, at a temperature considerably lower than its melting temperature, by the continuous stream of molten lead coming from the discharge end of the pipe 50 and returning into the melting pot through the aperture 56 in the bottom of the antimony container and the apertures 55 in the lower portion of the cylindrical guide 25. The dissolved antimony, having a lower specific gravity than lead, tends to rise to the surface of the molten lead andis thus uniformly mixed therewith as the alloy is circulated and recirculated through the pipe lines.

It will be obvious that as soon as the uppermost cake of antimony in the container is dissolved the next cake of antimony moves upwardly against the top of the container due to its buoyancy, Thus, one or more cakes of antimony are constantly maintained in the path of the stream of molten lead coming from the return pipe 50, until all of the antimony is dissolved.

After a uniformly mixed alloy of the deas explained above. f

is overcome sired consistency has been obtained, it may be drawn, as required, from the downspouts 58 into the cylinders of the extruding presses 10. It is to be understood, of course, that the molten alloy may be transferred from the melting pot 16 into a suitable storage tank from which it may be supplied tothe extruding presses in the same manner as described above. Also, it is obvious that nu-VA merous other changes and modifications may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention herein illustrated and described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.`

What is claimed is: n

l. A method of preparing a lead antimony alloy, quantity' of lead, submerging a predetermined amount ofantimony in the molten lead, and directing'a stream of the molten lead against the submerged antimony to dis-vv solve it and thoroughly mix it with the lead.

comprising melting-a predetermined 2. A method of preparing a molten alloy from a solid material having va relatively low melting point and high specific gravity and a soluble solid material having a relatively high melting point and lowspecic gravity, comprising vmelting the first mentioned material, submerging the soluble material in the melted material, and directing a stream of the melted material against the submerged material to dissolve it.

3. In an apparatus :for preparing molten 'materials, means for melting a normally solid material and for maintaining it in a molten state, means for submerging a plul rality of layers of a soluble solid.' material having a specific gravity less than that of the molten material in the molten material, and means for directing a stream of the molten material againstv the upper layers of. v

said submerged solid material todissolve said upper layers and to permit the lower layers of said solid material to move upward terial and maintaining it in a molten state,

upper layers of. said soluble material.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this th day of October A. D.,

Y HERBERT F.l CARTER.

into the position previously occupied by said i upper layers. t

4. In an'apparatus for preparing molten materials, a melting pot, a container movable to a plurality of positions with respect to the melting pot and adapted to maintain a plurality of layers of cakes of solid material having a specific gravity less than that of the molten material below the surface of said molten material and to permit the lower of said layers to move vupward into the positions occupied by the upper layers after said upper layers have been dissolved, and

means commumcating with the container in one of said positions for directing molten` material from the melting pot against saidupper layers of said solid material into the container.

5. In an apparatus for preparing molten materials, a melting pot for melting a mae terial and maintaining it in a molten state, a vertically movable container for receiving material and for holding such material at a predetermined position within the melting pot, and means communicating with the container' at said position forl directing molten material from the melting pot against 50 material contained in the container.

6. In an apparatus for distributing molten materials, a kettle tor holding a supply of molten material, a distribution line having a substantially horizontally disposed po'r. tion of varying height communicating with the kettle and having a by-pass `disposed above therhighest point in the line, means Jfor directing the molten material from the los v kettle through the distribution line, and

65 materials, a melting pot for melting a malas. 

